During the operation of a microprocessor, operational parameters such as core temperature, voltage of operation, and power consumption may vary according to activity within the microprocessor. Relatively higher levels of activity may be associated with computationally-intensive tasks, may increase power consumption and core temperature, and may result in supply voltage “droops” (downward changes). Circuit delays within the microprocessor may increase as the core temperature increases and the operational voltage decreases.
On the other hand, some applications may use only modest amounts of available microprocessor capacity. Thus, a conservatively clocked microprocessor may be capable of reliable operation at a higher frequency.